Vampire Protection: Midnight Rodeo book 8 Read online

  Vampire Protection

  Copyright © 2017 by Julia Talbot

  Cover illustration by Erin Dameron-Hill

  Published with permission

  Edited by Paige Prince

  1380 Rio Rancho Blvd #1319, Rio Rancho, NM 87124

  ISBN: 978-1-942831-79-2

  All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law.

  First electronic edition published January 2018

  Printed in the USA

  Vampire Protection - Midnight Rodeo 8

  By Julia Talbot

  Chapter One

  Peyton Langtree rarely made phone calls. He had the most recent iPhone with all the bells and whistles, of course, but he didn’t love the weird, dislocated feeling of talking to someone hundreds of miles away.

  He came from a more… concrete time. A time when, if you wanted to talk to someone and could not travel, you sent a very laboriously drafted letter. Calling seemed too easy, as if black magic were involved and you would pay someone far more dire than AT&T later. Peyton had seen too many people who were forced to cover the cost of their magical bargains. He wasn’t into that at all.

  In the case of today, at this very moment, calling was necessary, so he pulled out his sleek, fancy phone and dialed someone he’d known too long.

  “Hello?” The voice was pure Texan, deep and drawling, and as familiar as yesterday, even though it had been ten years easily.

  “Cody. How are you?”

  “Peyton? Is that you?” His dear friend sounded pleased, which was handy. He would have had one hell of a time if Cody had been angry about the way they had parted the last time. Peyton did tend to bring trouble with him.

  “It is. I know it’s been a while.”

  Cody snorted indelicately. “It always is when you get to be our age.”

  “You’re still just a baby.”

  “You wish. These hooligans I work with make me older every day.” The fondness in Cody’s voice was obvious. He clearly loved his job.

  Yes, Cody worked in a large paranormal rodeo company, and all those supernatural beings in one place had to be challenging. “Mmm. Where are you now?”

  “Dallas, heading toward Lubbock. Why? Are you still in Boston?”

  “I’m in Maine right now,” Peyton murmured. Brr.

  “You’ll be a block of ice, you cold-natured bastard.”

  “I know. I was hoping to…” To what? Get Cody to find him a place in Texas? To get transport to Mexico? He needed help.

  He swore he could hear Cody’s eyebrows gyrating. “Hoping to?”

  “Find a place to hide.”

  “Really? What did you do?”

  Peyton sighed, thinking how hard he’d fucked up in the last month or so. “Well, for a start, I killed a vampire who attacked me. In Boston. How was I to know he was the overlord’s son?”

  “Oh dear.”

  “And I didn’t know that that same overlord’s wife would come avenging her born son…” Peyton shook his head. Of all the luck.

  “Oh hell. A woman scorned. So, you went to Maine?”

  “I was going to go to Canada. Then I thought of you and took a day or two off from running while I got the nerve up to call.”

  “I suppose I should be pleased I was only second in line,” Cody said drily.

  “Ha ha.” He rolled his eyes. “Canada was amorphous at best.”

  “And I am more specific, I take it?”

  “Yes. You’re also mobile and cloaked by warlocks.” He had to get the hell out of Dodge, find a place where a decidedly old-fashioned Southern guy could hide. In the dark. Sunlight bad.

  “Well, you’re welcome to come travel with us for a bit. We’re a motley bunch so you ought to fit right in.” Cody’s drawl lengthened, his old friend laughing at him.

  “You know full well that you and I were neighbors on the ranch, you butthead.” He could cowboy up, at least in the old-west way.

  “Mmm. You were rich and I was a hand.” Cody chuckled. “I ain’t bitter. I had the better deal.”

  “Indeed.” Cody had never been whipped near to death for being found with a man in a compromising position. Still Cody had saved him, brought him into a world of lust and blood and eternity, and he was grateful.

  “So, come on, and we’ll get you hid, honey.” Cody made it sound so easy, which he supposed it was in this day and age. So much easier than having to travel in an airtight coffin for weeks in a wagon…

  “Dallas. I can’t be there for three days, but I’ll be there.”

  “We do a lot of shows in the area.” Cody chuckled, the sound warm as honey sitting in the sun. “You’ll have to cowboy it up some. You do remember how.”

  “I’m not expected to participate in the show, am I?” Roughstock wasn’t his forte.

  “You’re not interested in team roping?”

  “No.” No and no. Ropes took off fingers and regeneration wasn’t one of his abilities.

  “Perhaps mounted shooting then, in case we need to show off something you can do.”

  That could work. “I will make that my cover story, then.”

  “Indeed. Travel safely. I expect to find you with your head still attached.”

  “I would like that,” Peyton murmured. “Very much. Thank you, Cody.”

  “You’re welcome, troublemaker. I look forward to seeing you again.”

  “Same here. Peyton smiled suddenly, feeling better than he had in weeks. He would go back to Texas and stay with Cody and get his cowboy on for a time.

  It had to be more fun than hiding out among the moose.

  Or having his head chopped off by a vengeful momma, which in Maine was still a distinct possibility. He needed to be much farther away from Boston than he was now.

  Time to go.

  Chapter Two

  Grizz stretched, his back popping hard. He’d been off work for about two weeks after getting his ass stomped by his own damned horse after he jumped too soon on a steer during bulldogging. Well, not on the steer. That was the problem. He’d missed. Steer wrestling kinda required a guy to land on the livestock.

  He was healed up now, but he was being lazy as fuck and sleeping late, then napping in the sun wherever the whole rodeo decided to park.

  The sun had just gone down, and he was hungry. Maybe it was time to head to the kitty court and see what smelled so good. The werecats were damn good cooks, and they ran concessions with an iron fist.

  If he was lucky, there’d be fried fish. Brax made the best fish and chips. Well, and Dimitri too.

  God, he loved fish and chips.

  He grabbed his keys so he could lock his trailer and headed out.

  “Hey, Grizz. Just the man I want to see.” Cody the boss cowboy walked up to him, smile flashing white in the gloom, his fangs just visible.

  “Hungry.” Talking got iffy when he wanted food.

  “Tell me about it.” Cody flashed him some longer teeth.

  “Not feeding you, Boss. Sorry.” He had to grin at that. Cody was totally out of his league, even if he was sexy as fuck. Besides, everyone knew he still carried… well, not a torch. Fire bad for vamps. But Cody still had a thing for the other boss, Philip, who spent most of his time at corporate.

  Cody sighed dramatically, laughter ringing out immediately after. “I need a favor, Grizz.”

  “No shit?” He actually stopped and stared. C
ody didn’t like to be beholdin’ to anyone. “From me?”

  “No shit. I have a friend--an incredibly old friend--who’s in trouble and is coming to…” Cody pursed his lips. “How to put this delicately?”

  “Hide out?” Why beat around the berry bush? Lots of folks at Darque and Knight rodeo had shady pasts. All of them were hiding from the mundanes, regardless, so another reason to keep a head down was just another reason.

  “Exactly. I’m not sure how much he remembers about the cowboy way, you understand? I need him to blend. And we vamps don’t blend. I’m hoping you’re intimidating enough to keep too many questions at bay.”

  “Hmm. You want him to travel with me, you’ll have to help me make a few mods to my bus.” He had decent shades for when it was hibernation season, but he had no idea if they would hold up for a vamp. He assumed it was a vamp if it was an old friend, and that Cody wanted him and said vamp to act like traveling partners.

  “Of course. Absolutely. He’s making his way here, but he won’t show until the day after tomorrow.”

  “Cool. Let me get some food. You want to look at my trailer?”

  “No, I want to go see Brax with you. But then I will.”

  “So companionable. Not at all like you.”

  Cody punched his arm, and he yelped comically. He adored Cody, with his laconic ways and his wicked humor. The man was strong as fuck, too.

  “I appreciate this, Grizz. Very much. Peyton holds a special place with me, the evil little shit.”

  “That’s a great name. I take it he doesn’t look like a football player.”

  Cody stopped short, then began to laugh, the sound enough to send chills down his spine, and he was Cody’s friend. Something about a merry laugh coming from a cowboy creature of the night was so unnerving. Somewhere you could just hear the coffin lids banging in the sound.

  “Oh, Grizz. He’s a mere slip of a man, but he’s wickedly smart and strong enough to hold his own against our kind.”

  “And he’s in trouble enough to run?”

  “Usually. It’s tough to take on an overlord and his lady wife.” Cody shrugged. “Remind me to tell you about ancient vampire culture and how it still affects the older cities back east. Boston, New York. Montreal.”

  “Ew.” He wrinkled his nose and winked over. That sounded like hell.

  “I know.” Cody laughed. “I’m a Texas vamp. We got no overlords. We settle everything personally and keep to our own land.”

  “So…” They started walking again. “How did your friend end up in the big city?”

  “Sheer blind stupidity and a terrible fondness for the library there.”

  “Ah.” Grizz nodded. Bookish people traveled all over for their passion. He had a cousin who did that. Imagine trying to get a passport as a werebear.

  “I see you understand. I’ll have the work done on your trailer in the morning. I appreciate your discretion.” Cody clapped him on the back, almost making him stumble.

  “No problem.” They got to the kitty part of the cavalcade, and lo, there was fish. Score.

  Brax did run the best food trucks he’d ever seen. Who knew kitties could cook?

  “Hey, Grizz. Fish and chips tonight.” Ozzie waved him over, his fellow grizzly sitting with Ozzie’s mate, Ben.

  “I know. Cody says he’s buying.”

  “You know what Cody can eat, right?” Ozzie stood up and rubbed cheeks with him, growling in happiness. Little Ben had worked out all the clown’s angst.

  He gave Ben a hug, too. “I do. Not me.” He winked, because Cody was rolling his eyes.

  Ben chortled. “No? Are you too tough, Grizz?”

  “I am. I don’t do biting.” He winked, but Grizz meant it. That was too intense for him. He was, at heart, a big Pooh bear. He wanted to sleep and eat and have some fun.

  He didn’t need a lot of passion in his life. He saw how it was for some of the guys, the crazy ups and downs, and he didn’t want to deal.

  Cody snorted. “I could make you like it, Grizz.”

  “Not going to happen, so go bite Brax,” he shot back.

  “I heard that!” Brax’s laughter rang out. “He thinks I taste like grease.”

  One of his eyebrows went up. “He’s tried you?”

  “Oh, honey. Everyone’s tried me.”

  He felt a little bad for Brax, even though he laughed with everyone else. The guy had so much love to give, and no one stuck around very long. Brax was super unlucky in romance, which was ridiculous, because he was gorgeous and dear.

  “Fish and chips for you, Mr. Grizz.” Brax kissed his cheek, playful as fuck. “Do you want me to find some sweet kit for you to munch on, Cody?”

  “Nah. I have to get back and do some measuring.” Cody shocked them all by giving Brax a one-armed hug. “Here, this is for the bear contingent’s supper.”

  “You’re a generous man.” Brax nuzzled Cody’s jaw and Grizz stared. Not even he would dare to do that.

  “Don’t let it get around.” Cody gave them all a broad wink. “Later, losers.”

  Once he left, Ozzie turned to Brax. “You are a brave kitty.”

  “You have no idea, fuzzy.” Brax struck a Superman pose.

  “Nope.” Ben shook his head. “Leave Brax alone, both of you.”

  Look at the little black bear speaking out. Grizz thought that was adorable.

  Obviously so did Oz, because his friend bent and gave Ben a kiss that liked to burn them both to the ground.

  Grizz looked away, finding Brax watching him with an expression of perfect sympathy.

  “Eat up,” Brax said. “I can give you more with what Cody paid me.”

  Like Brax ever turned them away. Ever. Even when the rodeo riders were flat busted and broke dick.

  “Will do.” He sat and dug in, growling over the fish.

  Ozzie and Ben joined him in seconds, and even Brax came to sit a moment, a huge latte in front of him when Dimitri took over the fryer.

  He sniffed. “Hazelnut?”

  “Love your sniffer.” Brax nodded for him. “With an extra shot.”

  “Yum.” He wasn’t much of a coffee guy, but he loved the creamers. So sweet and tasty.

  “It is. You ready to get back on the road, y’all?” Brax asked.

  “I am.” Ozzie wiggled. “Ready to dance.”

  Ben ogled. “The horses are ready, that’s for sure. They don’t love the humidity here.”

  “Nope. They think it sucks. They told me so.” Grizz rubbed his ribs.

  “No, Grizz,” Little Ben teased. “That was them telling you to lay off the French fries and honeybuns.”

  “I bet.” Now he laughed out loud, a roar of a sound that drew smiles from all around. “I lost weight this week. Slept through a meal or two.”

  “Poor Grizz.” Brax stole a fry. “Do I need to order you thirds?”

  “Yes!”

  “We can get it to go,” Ozzie offered. “Go have a nap together.”

  Grizz looked over, first at Oz, then at Ben. “Yeah?”

  “Totally. It’s so hot and my air conditioner works so well.”

  “I would love that. You coming, Brax?”

  “Oh, it’s almost rush time, honey.” Brax stood, then bent to kiss all their cheeks. “But thank you. I like being an honorary bear.”

  “You’re a part of all of us, somehow,” Little Ben said, and the words made Brax smile.

  “Food does that, kiddo. Food and care.” Brax waved and headed back to work, leaving them all grinning.

  They got an enormous to go bag five minutes later. Brax was an angel. An evil, furry, smelling of green and espresso angel.

  Grizz rose, clutching the bag. “You mind if we use your place? Cody is doing mods on mine.”

  “No, silly. A/C, remember?”

 
Oopsie. “You know I forget everything.”

  Ben rolled his eyes. “They say I broke my brain…”

  “I will beat you, wee bear.”

  Ozzie growled.

  Or not.

  “Well, then I’ll withhold fish.”

  “No fair!” Ben put his head down like a bull and rushed him.

  Ozzie chuckled softly as Grizz held onto Ben, the little beast surprisingly strong, but who could hold their own with a grizzly?

  “Come on, you two,” Ozzie finally growled. “I want my snuggles.”

  He let Ben go. “Sorry, he’s so cute and fuzzy.”

  “He’s perfect and mine.” Oz grabbed his mate and started them out of the makeshift food court.

  For a moment Grizz just stared, a sharp longing hitting him deep. Then he moved on, because mating was a lot of trouble, wasn’t it? All that compromising.

  All that work and sharing and…

  Sex.

  Mating meant that he’d have to find someone that could take him and the one available grizzly bear was taken. Hell, the only other bear not involved with someone was a panda…

  No. He shook his head. He was a lone bear, a cowboy without strings.

  “Come on, Grizz! We need to snuggle you!” Little Ben was so eager, so sweet.

  He picked up his feet, fighting the urge to shift into his bear and run amok. Fish. Friends. Cuddles. These were the good things. They tumbled into the trailer, Little Ben tearing at his clothes. Right. Bears were hell on the wardrobe.

  He helped get the cloth away, and they all made for the big platform bed at the back of the bus, shifting as they moved.

  Little Ben was right. His air conditioner was magical. Thank the moon. The heat could really get to bears when they didn’t have deep pools of water to wallow in. Oh, a pool. Maybe he would rent a place with a private one for a few days.

  Ozzie grunted, agreeing easily, nuzzling his chin.

  There was a lot of hairy, musky bear in there all the sudden, grooming and chuffing. Grizz rolled to his back, paws in the air.

  Ozzie and Ben settled together, then they leaned against him.

  Grizz approved. The air blew on them almost like a mountain breeze, and he closed his eyes, wondering idly what Cody was doing to his trailer.